Changes to 2017 Walt Disney World Dining Plans

As of this week, I am now able to book 2017 Walt Disney World Vacation Packages!  Part of a Walt Disney World Vacation Package is electing to add a Disney Dining Plan option.  Adding one of the Disney dining plans allows a family to budget the food expense of their vacation before they even leave for their vacation.  This means no surprise costs once you're on vacation, i.e. less worry and stress about vacation costs!  The Disney Dining Plans allow you to indulge and order the most expensive thing on every menu because you opted for the Dining Plan and you've already paid for that expensive steak option!  With the release of the 2017 Walt Disney World vacation packages, we noticed some changes to the 2017 Disney Dining Plan options!

Add the Disney Dining Plan to your Walt Disney World vacation to get the most out of your vacation!

Quick-Service meals (for any of the Disney Dining plans) will no longer get a dessert served with lunch and dinner meals.  Instead of the Quick-Service dessert, guests will get an extra snack each day of the dining plan! This means if you elect the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan you'll get two snacks instead of just one for each night of your stay. (The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan originally had two snacks included). 

In 2017 Disney Dining Plan participants will get two snacks per day!

I am in love with this change.  I really didn't like any of the quick-service dessert options.  Except for a handful of locations (Sunshine Seasons or when there was a specialty cupcake offered), the Quick-Service desserts left little to be desired. I'm looking at you chocolate-brownie cake with your super sweet icing with some Mickey Mouse sprinkles.  I would much rather have a Dole Whip!

Dole Whips are a great snack option!

Another change is that guests will no longer be able to book the Disney Dining Premium nor the Disney Disney Platinum packages.  There will only be three Dining Plan choices for 2017:

1. Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan. Included with this dining plan is two (2) Quick-Service meals, two (2) snacks and one (1) refillable drink mug eligible for refills at Disney resort quick-service locations per person booked on the package.
2. Disney Dining Plan. Included with this dining plan is one (1) Table-Service meal; one (1) Quick-Service meal, two (2) snacks and one (1) refillable drink mug eligible for refills at Disney resort quick-service locations per person booked on the package.
3. Disney Deluxe Dining Plan. Included with this option is three (3) meals of any combination of Quick-Service or Table-Service locations, two (2) snacks and one (1) refillable drink mug eligible for refills at Disney resort quick-service locations per person booked on the package.

A change we didn't see was the rumor floating around that certain Character Dining experiences would go from 1 Table-Service credit to 2 Table-Service credits.  Didn't hear the rumor? I'll fill you in!  It was rumored that Chef Mickey's, Tusker House and Akershus would be 2-Table Service credits.  But no worries, with the release of the 2017 Walt Disney World Vacation plans, that rumor proved to be false! YAY!

Fairytale Dining at Cinderella's Royal Table is the only 2 Table-Service character dining experience. 

That is all for now! Since 2017 is still a ways away, it is possible that more changes, restaurant additions are to occur so when that happens I'll let you guys know!

Want to go to Walt Disney World and get a Dole Whip, have lunch with Mickey Mouse or eat dinner with Cinderella? Email me, lauren@magicaltravel.com, and I'll be more than happy to help you book your vacation and help you have a magical Walt Disney World experience by booking your Advance Dining Reservations and FastPass+ selection!

Universal Orlando Volcano Bay!

Take your Universal Orlando Resort vacation to the next level.  Discover three amazing theme parks, spectacular on-site hotels, unforgettable dining, incredible entertainment, and more.

Universal Orlando's third park: Volcano Bay

Universal's Volcano Bay™ is opening 2017 and will allow guests to live the carefree island life.  This all-new water theme park like-no-other will be filled with thrills, indulgence and rejuvenation.  No standing in long lines, wrestling with tubes, or waiting for the fun to begin. It's a tropical paradise just steps away from everything Universal Orlando Resort™ has to offer. Check out this cool video!

If you want to visit Universal Orlando Resort, email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com! I can book you a complete vacation package or just theme park tickets if that is all you desire!  As always, my clients won't pay an extra fee for any of my services!

Disney Movie Review: Finding Dory

This past weekend, the weekend of June 17th, was the opening weekend of Disney-Pixar's Finding Dory!

One of my favorite Disney-Pixar movies is Finding Nemo.  So needless to say when it was announced that there would be a sequel starring my favorite-forgetful blue fish, I was pretty excited.  After seeing Finding Dory on Saturday, I can say this sequel will also be a Disney movie classic.

Finding Dory has a similar story line to Finding Nemo - something is lost (Dory's family) and they need to be found.  The sequel starts a year after where Finding Nemo left us and Dory remembers that she has a family (her mom and dad).  Dory and Nemo convince Marlin that they need to go on an incredible journey to find them.  On their journey we learn why Dory is such a unique fish (for example, why she is able to speak whale) and we get to see some of the characters from Finding Nemo (Crush, Squirt, Mr. Ray to name a few) and we also get to meet some great new characters.  The most memorable new character, for me, was Hank - the seven-legged octopus which Dory clarified for us that Hank is in fact a 'septapus'.  Hank helps Dory along her journey to find her parents but Dory is also able to help Hank out.

Meet Hank the septapus.

Unlike some Disney movies, Finding Dory also doesn't need a "you're going to cry" warning.  There is a moment that gets a little emotional and my eyes got watery but it wasn't enough to bring on tears needing tissues.  Nor did my sister or mother need tissues.  Finding Dory also doesn't need a "may frighten young children at a certain moment" warning.  There is an 'almost-scary' moment in Finding Dory, similar to what Dory and Marlin experienced in the first movie while trying to read the snorkel mask but that moment was much scarier than what is in Finding Dory.  The movie did have a lot of funny parts. I'm talking laugh out loud, slap my knee kind of laughs and multiple times through out the movie!

Over all I think this is a Disney move that the whole family (from babies to grandparents) will enjoy!

Here is a trailer for Finding Dory: